Guarantor Mortgages

With a guarantor mortgage, you may be able to get a mortgage even if you have no deposit or a bad credit score. A mortgage guarantor is someone – usually a parent, a relative or even a close friend – who will cover your mortgage repayments if you can’t pay them for any reason.

How do guarantor mortgages work?

A guarantor mortgage uses someone else’s home as ‘security’ – the lender can forcibly sell this property if neither the guarantor nor the borrower can keep up with the borrower’s mortgage repayments. This reduces risk for the lender, as it ensures they won’t be out of pocket even if the monthly mortgage payments aren’t made.

The person who agrees to be a guarantor adds their name to the legal documents, agreeing to make repayments if the borrower can’t. They won’t actually be on the title deeds of the property, and they won’t own any share of it.

The guarantor usually has to use their own property as ‘security’ – so if neither the mortgage borrower nor the guarantor can make the repayments, then both their homes may be at risk.

Some guarantor mortgages use savings rather than property. This can work in a few ways, for example:

The guarantor puts cash into a special savings account to hold as security against the mortgage. If the mortgage misses too many payments and goes into default, then money is taken from there to pay it off. The savings account can still get some interest, and if there’s no need to use it to help deal with the mortgage, then it can work as a regular saving account.

The guarantor puts money into an account linked directly to the mortgage, making monthly repayments cheaper. However, there’s no interest paid, and the guarantor can usually only get their money back when the mortgage is paid, or almost fully paid off.

Who can be a guarantor

People often ask parents or older relatives to be their guarantor, usually because they have good credit and a larger income, and because they have a strong bond with the borrower. Some lenders may even require your guarantor to be a family member.

Not anyone can be a mortgage guarantor. Some lenders insist that the mortgage guarantor must have fully paid off their own mortgage, while some will settle for a certain amount of equity in it, e.g. they’ve paid over 50% of the full amount. But they certainly must be a homeowner. If they are still paying off their mortgage, they need to show that they have a high enough income to cover your repayments as well as their own. If they’re retired and no longer pay a mortgage nor have a regular income, they may have to show that they have the funds in place to cover your payments if necessary. A guarantor must have a healthy credit report, to give the lender confidence in their ability to manage finances.

It’s important that anyone looking to be a guarantor does their own research and gets independent legal advice, as well as having all their documents in order before agreeing the deal.

Who can get a guarantor mortgage?

A guarantor mortgage may suit you if:

You’re struggling to save enough for a decent deposit

You have little or no credit history, for example if you’re new to the country

You have a poor credit score

It’s worth noting that guarantor mortgages can sometimes be available with no deposit required – this is called a 100% mortgage.

What are the potential risks involved in a guarantor mortgage

Being a mortgage guarantor means you’re legally responsible for paying the mortgage if the borrower can’t. If you also can’t make the payments, you risk losing your own home and damaging your credit report. So, it’s important to take independent legal advice, speak to a mortgage adviser, and think it over carefully before making a commitment.

Can I stop being a mortgage guarantor?

A guarantor won’t necessarily have to stay on the mortgage for the entire term – if the borrower’s own financial circumstances improve, or if they’ve paid off a certain amount of their mortgage, the lender may agree to change the terms of the mortgage.

Legal

Social & Experian App

Information about the commission we receive from brokers for mortgages, secured loans and insurance can be found in our help section.

All free and paid for Experian consumer services are provided by Experian Ltd (registered number 653331.) Experian Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (firm reference number 738097). Experian Ltd is registered in England and Wales with registered office at The Sir John Peace Building, Experian Way, NG2 Business Park, Nottingham, NG80 1ZZ. The web monitoring feature and its alerts within CreditExpert is not Financial Conduct Authority regulated activity.